Waiting For The Storm
As I have listened to days and days of storm warnings, I feel that this blog needs a warning. It is not cute and it is not fluffy. It holds great truth that I believe is very timely. All of life on this earth points to a greater truth and I know that Hurricane Dorian is awakening me. So I share with you, my readers who journey with me each week. I pray that you and I will listen and respond to the warning.
“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:25-28
I have barely been able to pull myself away from the screen as the weather forecasters are predicting all of the possible paths that hurricane Dorian may take. At the point of this writing, we know that this category 5 hurricane sat on top of the Bahamas for fifty something hours, delivering much devastation and destruction. We see the images flash across the screen showing decimation of much of the island.
At the first view of this footage, I said to my husband, “How could they ever recover from that? Where would you even begin? Recovery looks impossible!” He answered that they would do just as other hurricane survivors have done by clearing the debris little by little and then slowly begin to rebuild. I could feel the shock and despair deep within. It actually caused me to want to run. Then the Spirit of God spoke to my heart that it is the same way with a life wrecked by sin. Sin can totally devastate and destroy a life, but God! He takes a life that looks beyond repair, beyond hope, beyond restoration and breathes His very life within and makes something beautiful out of something so horrible. There is no destruction beyond His restoration if surrendered to Him.
There is still hope in Jesus.
I pray that the glory of the Lord will be made known through all of this destruction. I pray that in the darkness and great loss, many will call upon the name of the Lord. I pray that hope will arise as the waters recede.
As Dorian now creeps up the eastern coastline of the U.S., it is very clear that there will be more devastation, destruction and suffering to come. The warnings coming through the screen are very clear. No one can determine the exact landing, time or damage, but there is no doubt, the hurricane is on the way. Strong suggestions are made and curfews are set in place, but ultimately each person has a choice if they will move into action or ignore the warnings and hunker down.
How many times have we heard it over the past week?
“You have time to prepare. Get ready, People, the storm is coming. We don’t know when and we don’t know where it will make landfall, but it is coming. Board up the windows and doors, pile up the sandbags, purchase the food, get to the shelter, meet at the gathering place, check the batteries, test the generator, fill up the tank, get out of town.”
A unique characteristic of this hurricane is her slowness. I heard one forecaster say that you can walk faster than she was moving. This brings serious concern because people are prone to believe that we have plenty of time and procrastinate the preparations. The beautiful weather outside doesn’t match the warnings blaring across the TV screen, giving a false sense of security and a loss of urgency.
Sound familiar?
"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 1 Peter 3:8-9
There is great spiritual truth in this storm. We are living in the spiritual reality of Dorian. Jesus told us clearly that He would return. He will return for a spotless bride. Prepare! Be ready! He told us how to be ready, but just like the hurricane watchers; we have been lulled to sleep believing we always have tomorrow to turn our lives around. We have given up on prayer and grown weary in the process. We have lost the urgency to tell others and we have even become hopeless when we look at the evil and destruction taking over the world.
The prophets of old prophesied of what was to come. The writers of scripture made clear His promised return. Many New Testament writers thought they would see His return, yet, here we are a couple thousand years later and He has yet to return. We have just read it above in 1 Peter that His seeming slowness is not as we understand, but He is giving everyone time to come to repentance.
We have ignored the warnings even though the signs are coming closer and closer. We can feel the winds blowing, but have we lost the urgency? Have we grown tired of the same messages and moved on captured by something seemingly more exciting? Turn the channel, forget the pain and suffering of the world. Find something to make us laugh instead of cry. Have we become hardened by all the evil and darkness and even lost hope that there is any hope for sin-torn lives?
People, the road is closing. No more oil for the lamps. The bread has grown stale. The water in our own cisterns is contaminated. The shelter is closed. There is nowhere else to find relief.
Only Jesus!
{Pause}
Oh, Lord, awaken me! Awaken your people! While there is still time, please send a hurricane of your love and power to our hearts. Flood us with a revived urgency to shout it from the rooftops. Give us the will and determination to move into action while there is still time.
Make the preparations. Point the way. Speak the truth. Feed the hungry. Open blind eyes. Unstop deaf ears. Pray in faith.